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My Armageddon - Part II
I hope I managed to reach the But do not worry if you missed it, the rest of the story is more exciting!
Day 10. Thursday March 20
At 4:45 am, a strange time, the Lagos marines were released, finally, their "Protective" duties and are allowed to fly back to base. They were replaced by two Marines Pathfinder that was in the arms all the time.
On often began as all do in this naval base. The patrol boats, all re-fed at night before were ready for the patrols and carry their bow 12.7 mm and aft machine guns, AK-47s and ammunition for patrols of the day. The Group of Pathfinder Armada is responsible for the safety of the Bonny River and streams in their fight against piracy, kidnapping and sabotage.
It was very frightening every day when machine-gun fire broke the silence of the jungle as evidence rounds zip overhead and in the forests around the base, but I learned to look for the cloud of dust in the dust of the ammunition fired and knew the sound would continue. The patrol (gunners) and then disappeared into the rivers and streams, reaching the end of the afternoon at the base. About six ribs form the squad, with five repair repaired.
By Luckily we were left with our mobile phones which meant that they could communicate with contacts back home.
Day 11. Friday March 21
Good Friday, although I have never known what was going to be good about it! Today would be my apocalypse, however I want to describe Armageddon.
Awakened a bit earlier in the wake of the morning at 6:20, I made a cup of coffee and went on deck to watch the comings and goings of the Pathfinder this morning patrol. Just 20 yards from me I saw the head master RIB (our marina kind that only a couple of days we know that we had better remain in the naval base), which was finalizing its preparations and the crew for their next patrol. It was 6:45 am now and I still remember in slow motion as evidenced by over his shoulder for outboard motors as happened in the ignition of the motor.
In an instant I was looking at hell on earth! A wall of flames some 30 feet tall wrapped around the rib crew. I could only see shadows moving horribly in the flames and no chance to help. An infant Marine fire, head to toe, came the Holocaust, with heavy body armor and jumped into the river never to surface again.
I watched in horror and awe as the first rib and its staff are disintegrated before my very eyes. Then the realization that the ordinance was exploding around us and our ship. Our crew except the chief engineer who had escaped from the engine room to make ready to go, are buried behind sandbags stacked at the stern of our ship. For 30 minutes my head was filled with the sound of the explosion of ordnance. I concentrated on staying calm Nigeria crew as they were clearly terrified.
A break in the bangs, booms and zip of bullets and a couple more of the play dead. Almighty, and not just a warship was up in flames, but after another after another. Five burning hulls floated slowly past our boat at high tide.
Now it was time to run on land and run we did. We tissue increased our way past heavy-caliber shell casings praying that no more were on their way fatal. No time to look back now that we seek refuge ships in the affirmative. Another quarter of an hour would pass before an all clear was declared.
I have never seen such devastation, but during the whole event felt like if it were a movie.
The removal of the bodies was a dreadful task. Instead of being 'burnt' as I expected, I found very strange that the bodies were white, arms and legs stiff in the final throes of the fire.
That night me and three South Africans were accommodated "by our own safety "in what was described as the official hostel. The bars on the windows and doors, and all sleeping together in one room with a guard of seven men actually gave it away. Never allowed to stray more than 100 yards from the "shelter."
Day 12. Saturday March 22
This was the time (I felt) to make contact with the British High Commissioner. He was unavailable for a visit, she had no license, but endeavor to present the next day.
Day 13. Sunday 23rd March
The British High Commission was presented today at day. It was of little help that his authority was not recognized by the commander of the naval base. In fact there were other urgent matters during the day, he had to return to time to watch the football game.
So far marines had always kept their personal weapons with them. At one point after the Commissioner gone, a Marine was his rifle against the wall next to where I was sitting. He took some empty coke bottles to the kitchen. He was a nice guy I had known for a week or so and we got along well.
At this point where despair was almost complete, all that went through my mind was 'Take the gun, kill him and run. "Then I realized that yes, it would be dead and we could move to the door, but the guards that were left out mow before we get beyond the threshold. This thought stayed with me until the Marines returned and demanded his gun.
This was the only time in my I thought life, and possibly could have killed a real man.
Day 14. Monday March 24
Easter Monday, the day Liberation! I'm not religious, but the importance of the hell of our release Friday and Easter Monday will not escape me.
We had been instructed of the company, through mobile phone calls, to show the Marines how to operate our vessel the Spitfire 'and all its idiosyncrasies. It was after This familiarity with our boat that I felt the most vulnerable. In fact we are no longer needed for anything to do with the ship.
Apparently, now that we had become a liability. With the tragic loss of Navy ships and men on Friday and an increased risk of us "whites" to be kidnapped by militants who became a real risk to their operations. So at 4:30 pm from scratch, our partner's former chief of police in Nigeria are presented at the naval base. After some discussion and paperwork that was sent in two military vehicles, two armed guards in each, to Port Harcourt for a hotel room. Morning Next we took the first available flight to Lagos.
What a relief!
The next two weeks were spent in a hotel from Lagos to wait to see if the release orders would have no effect on us back to the ship.
This period allowed us to reflect, inform and talk through the events of the previous fortnight. I think this has helped me tremendously as I found it a relief to talk about what he saw instead of coming straight home again and perhaps keeping the death and destruction of all bottled.
The Nigerian authorities did not release our boat patrol so a month after coming back I was in another British Airways flight back to Blighty and home insurance.
Epilogue
We concluded that it was always intended to Nigerians to acquire our patrol vessel. Several representations have been made to our company for the purchase of our ship during the pre-planning discussions, which were denied everything.
We considered that the incident was simply an accident waiting happen. The militants said that was his to do when the degree of death and destruction, eventually became known. The militants and the authorities in fact negative, the claims and claims against leading to inaccurate reporting of this incident widely in Africa and the European press. Google Nigerian pioneer: "The armed "to see various media reports of this incident.
This account, although in some detail and names omitted for obvious reasons, is to record times, dates and reports of casualties as precisely as possible the staff who were there!
Authorities
It is not unknown for deceit and corruption at the highest levels occurring in this part of the world. Google drain "oil" to get some of the background stories.
Militants (MEND)
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta believe they are fighting corruption as the oil revenues were imposed to ensure that education and health policies and programs were established for good of the nation. They are having a major impact on the reduction of revenue through piracy, sabotage of pipelines and production facilities oil, kidnapping and murder.
About the Author
The author is the editor and publisher of an online power boat magazine for sports and professional users of rigid hull inflatable boats, RIBs.
www.hotribs.com